Reversing propeller



VN. E. DAVIES.

REVERSING PROPELLER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7., 1920.

I N if EN TOR. son/Eavw@ y A TTORNE Y.

N. E. nAvlEs. REVERSING PROPELLER.

APPLlCATION FILED AFR. 7, 1920.

Patented May17, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

l f l N VENTOR. MkwvEaz/ms; y

A TTORNEY.

N. E. DAVIES.

v REVERSING PROPELLEH.

APPLlcATloN FILED APR. 7, 1920.

Patented May 17, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

' INVENTOR. v NkamEkayvz/e@ y y ATTORNEY.

UNITED stares rareu'r Ormea.

NELSON E; DAVIES, OF REDWOOD CITY, CALFORNIA. y

REVERSIN G PROPELLER.

, l Application filed April 7, 1920. Serial No. 371,935.

To all lwhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, NELSON E. DAVIEs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Redwood City, in the county of San Mateo and State ofvCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inReversing Propellers; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.'

This invention relates to propellers for use in aeroplanes, motor boats,and wherever it is desired to change the pitch of the propellers whilerotating.

lt has for its object vthe provision. of a speed and pitch 'changingmeans which will be simple in construction, comparatively inexpensive tomanufacture, and more eflicient in action than those heretoforeproposed.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in thenovel details of construction and combinations of parts more fullyhereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecication in which like numerals designate like parts in all the viewsFigure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a propeller mechanism made inaccordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view partially in section of the partsshown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1,looking in the direction of the arrows.

1 indicates the main propeller or crank shaft, 2 a hub secured to shaft1 bythe key 3, 4 a iange on said hub'2 carrying the pivots 5 of thepropeller blades 6 as best shown in Fig. 3, and 7 represents anextension of shaft 1,' secured to said flange 4 as by the Vfastenings 8and provided with the ball bearings 9. Mounted on said extension shaft 7and bearing 9 is the screw threaded hub -10 of the worm gear 11ycontacting at its rear end with the ball bearing 12 screw threaded toshaft 7 as at 13. 14 indicates a feed nut surrounding said shaft .7 andhuh 10, and 15 a spline or key which causes the nut, 14 to movelongitudinally of the rotating shaft 7 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 17, 1921.,

under the action of' the. screw threaded hub 10. l

As best shown in Fig. 3, the nut 14 car ries the diametrically disposedlugs 18 and 19 provided with the pins 2O to which are pivoted at one endthe arms or links 21, whose other ends are pivoted to the pins 22carried by the lugs 23 rigid with the propeller blades 6. It thus willbe clear that should the worm gear 11 be rotated, its threaded hub 10will i'nove the nut 14 longitudinally of the extension shaft 7, and thatthis movement will swing the blades 6 through the links 21 on theirpivots 5, thus changing the pitch of said blades. Said worm gear 11 isrotated as follows. As

best shownjn Fig.`2, mounted on the hub 2 and rotating with the mainshaft 1 is the collar 25, carrying the studs 26 von which are looselymounted the pinions 27.A Also mounted on said hub 2 are the ballbearings y :by the baund 40. As will be clear from Fig. 1,

42 represents a stationary support or frame member from which extend the'stationary i brackets 43 carrying the supporting lugs 44 of the clutchcontrolling bands, 33 and 40. Suppose the band 33 to so move the clutchmember 32 by means to be described, as to stop the gear 30 fromrotating. In such case theV shaft 1 through the hub 2, the collar 25,stub shafts 26 and pinions v27 will rotate the gear 37 and the worm 46rigid with said gear 37. Said worm 46 is mounted Aon the ball bearing 36and rotates the worm gear 48 mounted on the shaft 49 carrying thepinion50 which meshes with the pinion 51 mounted on the shaft 52 carrying theworm 53 meshing with and rotating said worm 1 1. It thus results thatthe pitch of the propellers 6 will be changed while the shaft 1 isrotating. The clutch members 32 and 39 are operated throu h the bands 33and 4() as follows. Said ban 's are provided with the pairs of right andleft hand screws, 55 and 56, which through thel lugs 57 tighten orloosen said bands as they are turned Vin one direction or the other,'all as will be clear from Figs. 1,

2 and 4. Tlre `screws 55 are operated by the arms 58, and the screws 56are operated by the arms 59 through the bifurcated ends 60 through whichrespectively pass the pins 61 and 62. Said pins 61 and 62 are joined bythe link 63, and said pin 61 is connected by the screw threaded member64 to the nut member 65 carrying the collar 66. Slidably mounted on saidrod member 64 is the hub member 67 carrying the collar 68, and next tosaid hub member is the second nut member 69 carrying the collar 70.Between the slidable hub member and adjustable nut member `65 is thecoiled spring '71 and between said slidable hub member 67 and the secondnut member 69 is the coiled spring 72. A collar 73 is joined to the'collar 68 as by the rods 74 anda screwthreaded extension V7 5 of saidcollar 73 fits a nut member 76 that v ma be rotated by-the handle 77.

t thus results that by turning the handle 77, the pin 61 and arms 58 and59 may be turned, and with said arms the screws 55 and 56, so that saidclutch controlling belts 33 and 40 may be tightened or loosened.

80 represents centrifugal ball governors,

Y and 81 represents springs'attached to said governors at one end and atthe other end tothe adjustable means 82 secured to the nut 14. 83indicates bellcranks to which said governors are attached, and 84 linksattached to said bell'cranks as by pins 85 secured as at 86 to thethrust collar 87 mounted on the ball bearings 88, carried by the ballsupported collar 89. Said collar '89 is supported on the guiding drum 90rigid with the flange 4 and propellers 6. Connected at one end Ato thecollar 89 by the pin 91 is the link 92 whose other end is conthe pin 62.It thus follows that the centrifugal ball governors 80 will, also,through the connections just described, move both arms 58 and 59, bothbands 33 and 40, and both clutch members32 and 39.

' The longitudinal movementsof the nut 14 are limited as follows. Saidnut is provided with the oppositely disposed arms 95 provided with thepms 96 operating in the slots 98 of the arms 97 pivoted at 99 to thebracketsv 100.

The operation willbe understood from the foregoing,rbut may be brieflysummarized as follows Upon rotating the shaft 1, the hub 2, flange 4,blades 6, extension shaft 7, nut

`14, l governor ballsv 80 and connections all v rotate inside the clutchbands v33 and 40 carrying the clutch members 32 and 39 which latter areheld from rotation by the supporting non-rota`ting members 42 and 43. It

follows that the adjustable screwmembers 55 and 56 and ytheir operatingconnections 89, 92, 63, 64 and 77 are likewise non-rotatable. The member87, however, rotates on 6, or even reverses them if the the pivot4handed, it is evident if one turns the handle 77 he will tighten one setof screws 55 or 56,- while he loosens the other set. Accordingly,

one clutch member 32 or 39 will be actuated to stop from rotating itscorresponding gear 30 or 37, according to the direction in which thehandle 77 is turned.

Should the gear 30 be thus prevented from rotating, the pinions 27 willrun around said gear 30 as a track and thus turn the gear 37, the gears46, 48, 50, 51 and 11 in the manner above described; and the turning ofsaid gear 11, will turn the sleeve l0, move the nut 14, and thus movethe links 21, Fig. 3, to change the pitch of the propeller bladesrotated for a sufficient time.

At high speeds the governor balls 80 and their connections force theball thrust collar 87 'tothe right, as seenin Fig. 2, and thus force thelinks 92 and 63 in the same direction, which `has the effect of turningthe screws 55 and 56, and of operating the clutch members 32 and 39.lVith a slowing downof the speed, the reverse actions take place. Theslots 98 in the links 97 limit the travel of the nut 14, and thusindirectly limits the action of the governor mechanism.' For Shouldthegear 30 be prevented from rotating by the centrifugal action of theballs 80 in the manner just disclosed, said nut 1.4, would move towardthe right, as seen 1n Fig. 2, until the links 97 contact with the edges101 of the bell cranks 83. When this contacttakes place, the balls willbe drawn inward, and the change in the pitch of the gear 11 1spropellers will cease. The reverse movement of the nut 14 will produce areverse effect.

If neither of the clutch members 32 and 39 are in`en ragement with theirgears 30 and 37, then t e governor balls 80 will function to maintainwhatever. speed' has been originally set by manipulating the handle 77.But of course, by turning said handle at any time, the pitch of theblades 6, and therefore the yspeed maybe suddenly changed, for saidhandle controls or overpowers the governoraction.

It will now be clear that the members numbered 25 to 46 constitute adifferential mechanism, which is controlled by `the hand lever 77 andits connections, and that said* differential mechanism and itsconnectlons y serve to change the speed by changingthe pitch ofthepropellers 6. In fact sald pitch may be reversed by said last namedconnections.

It is further obvious that said `dif ferential mechanism is under `the"control of the centrifugal governor balls 80 'aand their connections,that said balls govern the speed by controlling said differential gears,I

and that the pins 96 working in the slots 98 and their associated partsconstitute a,

means for limiting the action of said balls 80. It is obvious that thoseskilled'in the a'rt may vary the details of construction as well i asthe arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of theinvention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to the abovedisclosure except as may be required `by the claims.

What is claimed is 1. In a propeller mechanism, the combination of apower shaft; a propeller mounted on said shaft; a planetary differentialgear concentrically mounted on said shaft; connections between saidpropeller and said gear adapted to change the pitch of said propeller;and a hand operated mechanism for governing said differential gears andsaid connections, substantially as described. 2. In a propellermechanism, the combi* nation of a power shaft; a propeller mounted onsaid shaft; a planetary differential gear concentricallymounted on saidshaft;

means comprising a worm gear having a.

screw threaded hub and a longitudinally movable nut member adapted tochange the pitch of said propeller; connections between saiddidierential gear and said worm gear;

and a hand operated mechanism for govern-l I tion of a power shaft; apropeller mounted on said shaft; a differential gear mounted on saidshaft; connections between said propeller land said gear adapted tochange the pitch of said propeller; a governor mechaf nism; connectionsbetween said governor mechanism and said differential gear; and a handoperated mechanism for governing lsaid differential gear and saidconnections,

substantially as described.

5. In a propeller mechanism, the combination of a power shaft; apropeller mounted on said shaft; a differential gear mounted onl saidshaft; connections between said propeller and said gear adapted tochange the,l pitch of said propeller; a governor mechanism; connectionsbetween said govn A ernor mechanism and said differential gearcomprising a bell crank and a thrust collar lOear and said connections,substanf connected to said bell crank; and a hand operated mechanism forgoverning said differential Agear and said connections, sub stantiallyas described. v

6. In a propeller mechanism, the/combination of a power shaft; anextension of said shaft rigid therewith; a differential me-ansconcentrically carried, and operated by, said power shaft; alongitudinally movable nut lcarried by said extension; a plurality Aofpropellers; connections between said nut and said propellers adapted ltochange 'the pitch of the latter; speed responsive means adapted tocontrol saidvdifferential means; and connections between 'p saiddifferential means and said nutl adapt-` ed to move said nut,substantially as described.

7. In a propeller mechanism, the combination of a power shaft; anextension of said shaft rigid therewith; a differentialmeans'concentrically carried, and operated by said power shaft; maniallyoperated means for controlling said differential, said means adapted topermit of lost motion; speed responsive means adapted to automaticallyand independently control said differential means; a longitudinally mov-4able nut carried by said extension; a .plu-

rality of propellers; connections between saidJ nut and said propellersadapted to change the pitch of the latter; and connections between saiddifferential means and said nut comprising a worm gear with a screwthreaded hub adapted to move said nut, substantially as described.

8. In a propeller mechanism, the combination of a power shaft; anextension of said shaft rigid therewith; a differential means carriedand operated by said power shaft; a longitudinally movable nut carriedby said extension a plurality of propellers; connections between said'nut and saidpropellers adapted to change the pitch of the latter; acentrifugal governor mechanism adapted to control said differentialmeans;

and connections between said differential y means and said nut adaptedto move said nut, substantially as described.

9. In a propeller mechanism, the combinationof a power shaft; anextension of said shaft rigid therewith; a differential means carriedand operated by said power shaft; a longitudinally movable nut carriedby said extension; a plurality if propellers; connections between saidnut and said propellers adapted to change the pitch of the latter; acentrifugal governor mechanism comprising a ball supported thrust collarand connections adapted to control vsaid dif'- ferential means; meansfor limiting 4the movements of said governor mechanism; and connectionsbetween said differential 'means and said nut adapted to move said nut,substantially as described.

10. In a propeller mechanism, the combination of a power shaft; anextension of said shaft rigid therewith; a differential means carriedand operated by said power shaft; a hand operated means adaptedtocontrol said dii'erential means; a longitudinally movable nut carried bysaid eXtension; a governor mechanism associated with said nut alsoadapted to control said differential means; a plurality of propellers;v

connections between said nut and said propellers adapted to change thepitch of the latter; and connections between said differential means andsaid nut adapted to move said mit, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature.

l NELSON E. DAvIEs

